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Sam Vander Wielen

I almost pulled this episode (but published anyway)


Perfect Would've Killed This

I just cranked out a quick 12.5 miles on my Peloton.

I nearly tripped over my bike shoes running to my MacBook to tell you something that might save 6-figures in wasted courses & coaches...

JUST START. That's how you'll learn.

Yep, that's my groundbreaking advice.

Obvious? Yep.

Something you do? Errrrm...

Here's what you need to know:

As a business owner, or someone who wants to start one, you're going to get hit left and right with messages about the 'right' way, the 'best' way, the new hacks and secrets...

(which changes faster than the algorithm they're all trying to figure out themselves)

But the truth is: the only way you learn is by doing.

And the early days of 'doing' are messy.

In 2021, I started my podcast On Your Terms®️ without researching how to structure the best episode. I used a $60 AudioTechnica mic as I crossed 100k downloads.

"Do you ever listen to your own episodes?" my friend asked in my early days.

"Nope," I replied, "because then I would stop recording it."

I'm sure my early episodes weren't the best they could be.

I wouldn't know, I've never listened to them.

Instead, I kept recording. Kept publishing. I got the reps in.

I upgraded my mic to a $200 version (it didn't change my downloads).

4 years later, I still adopt this attitude about just starting, whether it's in my business or at the gym.

Yesterday, as I zipped to the gym to crank out leg presses that were double my body weight, I hit 'play' on this week's podcast episode.

It's one of my most vulnerable and open episodes about how grief has changed me + how that's impacted my business. (LISTEN HERE→)

I thought about deleting it.

I felt like I could've done better with the episode.

By now, I know publishing it will teach me something.

So I listened to observe.

"OOF," I thought, "that intro needs to be tighter."

I heard 12 things that could've been better.

But here's the thing:

If I'd obsessed over the perfect intro or listened to my early episodes in 2021, I would've quit by episode 8 (if I made it that far!).

I never would've hit 257 episodes (+ counting!) and over 171,000 downloads.

Now I'm 257 episodes in and I still have room for improvement!

Drop the idea that this will be easy or fast.

4 years later, I listen and get curious about how to get better.

I can read my writing, see one of my YouTube videos, or listen to a podcast episode and just see it for what it is -- an attempt.

I see everything I do in my business as an opportunity and experiment.

That's why I'm here today to lovingly nudge you to just get started.

Whether it's your business, a podcast, YouTube channel, or you new knitting hobby...

Embrace the messy beginning. Or even just the messiness of learning something -- even 4 years in.

🥳 In just 2 weeks, registration starts for my last (free!) live legal training of the entire year.

If you've been spinning your wheels getting your business off the ground...

Or you want to know how to run your online business the right way...

Click here so I can remind you to save your seat when registration opens on October 6th→ ($0)

Last year 4,000+ people signed up.


This year, I want 5,000.

My mission is to help people just get started where they are.

We don't have time to wait for the perfect moment or situation.

It's not coming.

Oh that final free class of '25 I'm hosting?

Some have said my live legal class is like the Eras Tour tickets of the online business world...

Spots are capped. Set your alert to save your seat→

🐶 OK, by some I mean Hudson:

Set that reminder, friend.

I'm about to add a block to my calendar to draw -- something I'm pushing myself to "just get started" on! Talk soon my friend.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

SAVE THE DATE 🗓️
ON OCT 6TH, ENROLLMENT FOR MY
LAST LIVE LEGAL CLASS OF 2025 BEGINS!

📝 IT’S MY FINAL LEGAL CLASS OF 2025!

Registration for my FINAL (free!) live legal class I'm hosting this year opens on Monday, October 6th→ save the date! 🗓️

Each year, I host this legal class live just TWICE (that’s it!). About 4,000 people typically register, and my goal for October’s class is to hit 5,000. Why? Because if you’re an aspiring (or current) online business owner, it’s required you learn what the non-negotiable set up for ANY online business is. 👏

This is not just a free class.

This is your shot to clarify everything you’re confused about when it comes to setting up an online business the right way — then walk away with a literal to-do list so you can, well, go do it!

Are you in?

CLICK HERE SO I KNOW YOU’RE INTERESTED.
Free sign-up begins on October 6th at 10AM ET. Spots will be capped.

When you’re ready, here’s how I can help:

💌 Get my Legal Guide [free] A step-by-step legal guide that teaches you how to start and legally protect an online business without accidentally breaking any laws.

📝 Shop my DIY Legal Templates [Starting at $47] Get your lawyer-drafted contracts and website policies done in 15 minutes or less with my fill-in-the-blank templates.

🎉 Join the Ultimate Bundle® [Start for $229 today] Get 14 DIY Legal Contracts + policies, plus how-to-start-your-business trainings, and community support.

📚 Read my Book [$30, all bookstores] This isn’t just another business book. When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy is your no-nonsense guide to build and grow your online business. I teach you my fluff-free proven marketing strategies, funnel tactics, and email list-building tips that actually work. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up, this book gives you the roadmap to success.

🎙️ Listen to my Podcast [free] Buried under freebies, 6-figure promises, and viral content tips — but not feeling any real momentum in your biz? On Your Terms®️ cuts through the noise and gives you real strategies that actually move the biz needle.

🎙️ NEW EPISODE

Where Business Meets Grief

In this week’s episode of On Your Terms®, I open up about losing both of my parents within a year—and how grief didn’t just break me, it reshaped the way I run my business.

I’m talking identity shifts, decisions made with zero capacity, and why holding steady felt more real than scaling.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just trying to show up while carrying a weight no one else sees, this episode might land you somewhere unexpected.

🎧 HOW GRIEF CHANGED THE WAY I RUN MY BUSINESS

LISTEN ON APPLE | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE


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Sam Vander Wielen

My weekly newsletter, Sam’s Sidebar, is where online business meets real life — the legal tips you need, marketing strategies that actually work, and the perspective to build something that sustains you, not just your bottom line. One honest email a week. “Possibly the best emails I’ve ever read from someone I’ve not met IRL.” - Phil, subscriber. JOIN 48k SMART CREATORS ⤵️

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